Yoga Therapy and the Older Adult
MAINTAINING (AND IMPROVING) FUNCTIONALITY THROUGH THE 60's, 70's, 80's AND BEYOND
You know what yoga can do for an older Adult
That while there are realities of getting older, you know that change is possible.
You have seen how yoga improves balance, strength, mobility, breathing.
You have seen a re-energization, an adding of life to years, more confidence, and greater ease.
And you want more. You want more skills, tools, to support and teach your older clientele.
And, above all else, you want to be a better teacher.
You also know that one “instructional” size does not fit all - Especially when it comes to the 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond.
There are no set of yoga asanas or exercises will serve “everyone over 60” you meet - not even close.
Teaching people in this demographic is all about adaptation and responsiveness.
It is all about choosing carefully, proceeding slowly, and with great humility.
That’s what their bodies, minds and spirits demand.
The "How" or Delivery of Your teaching, is as Important as the "What" or Content of Your Teaching.
Ask yourself this:
• Are you ready to leave static instructional templates behind?
• Can you trust your own ability to explore, observe, analyze and experiment as you teach?
• Are you interested in leaving the power relationship behind and entering a learning partnership with your students or clients?
• Do you have a growth mind-set?
• Do you aspire to be fully present with each student or client you meet?
If you are nodding your head "YEs," You will like what We have to offer.
There are 6 physical challenges common among older adults
- 1
- Balance
- 2
- Maintaining optimal breath capacity
- 3
- Declining mobility in the big joints
- 4
- Loss of general body awareness
- 5
- Loss of strength
- 6
- Lower overall endurance
when we can address these challenges, we can support older adults To live better lives.
What Clients Are Saying:
"Upon turning 60 I retired and very shortly thereafter was diagnosed with scleroderma. My symptoms were sore joints, general lack of flexibility, particularly in my hands. In addition I had suffered from lower back problems for years. I was referred to Susi's program of therapeutic yoga by my physiotherapist. Susi established a specific program for me during the summer of 2002. Within the year I was more flexible and had no recurrence of my back problems. I am now 65 and continue with Susi's programme, which has enabled me to return fully to activities I did prior to my scleroderma diagnosis. In fact in many ways I feel more flexible now than when I was younger."
- Robin R
HOW SUSI AND RUTH ANN HELP
Susi Hately, B.Sc. Kinesiology, C-IAYT worked with older clients for the past 25 years. She quickly learned that the older the person was, the faster they became more functional. Yes, you read that correctly. She has seen that her older clients consistently reduced their pain and got back to the lives they wanted faster than her younger clients. All because of how she taught them.
Ruth Ann Penny has been an educator for over 40 years, having taught, coached, consulted and advised people of all ages; nationally and internationally, of both genders, privately and in classroom and corporate settings.
As a Yoga Teacher, all of her students over 70, and her private clients are over 80.
She has successful results with all of her students because She is absolutely convinced that we learn from the inside out; we seek, take in what we need, adapt, hopefully grow, and leave the rest.
Now they want to help you grow your skill and ability to help older adults feel good in their bodies and minds.
What Clients Are Saying:
"Ruth Ann has been my teacher for a few years. I look forward to my classes which are both informative and fun. Instructions are always supported by scientific facts and I appreciate this." - Miriam, Chair Yoga student, age 77
IN THIS 3 MONTH PROGRAM:
CURRICULUM:
Retrieving Awareness
Anatomy and Movement Principles
- Incrementalism in Teaching and Learning: Keep it Small, Keep it Slow
- Learn how to break down certain asanas, poses and movement exercises to make them accessible to your older client. Learn how to sustain progress, integrate discrete movement pieces and pace yourself to match the rhythm of your older adult student.
- Observe, Analyze, Experiment
- Susi and Ruth Ann will help you hone your observational skills, analyze and assess what you observe and develop responses based on your analysis that move your student forward.
- The Ground and The Breath
- You know that yoga is more than just exercise. It’s about our connection to life, to our prana. Help your students sense their breath, employ simple breathing techniques and enjoy the energetic response, in their bodies. Help them yield comfortably to gravity, and find the release and security that precedes all healthy movement.
What Clients Are Saying:
"Ruth Ann brought her excellent knowledge of anatomy and yoga to the assessment of areas in my body with limited movement as a result of past injuries and conditioning. I have felt confident and involved in the exercise program created to release old patterns and to improve movement. As I continue with our plan, I feel the difference it makes! Ann Penny is a superb teacher of yoga. She knows her subject thoroughly, and as my private tutor of the practice she has been attentive to my particular needs with her always clear and calm instruction."
- Liane, Chair Yoga student, age 80
THIS IS FOR YOU IF. . .
THIS IS NOT FOR YOU IF. . .
meet Susi Hately, Your Instructor
I have a BSC. Kinesiology and have been helping people reduce and eradicate pain for 25 years. I have also been a bridge between the medical world and yoga. Two of my programs have been studied at the University of Calgary and both showed benefit for supporting people and their wellbeing. I am also the best selling author of 10 books and yoga video series, including Anatomy and Asana: Preventing Yoga Injuries.
I have been training teachers and health professionals in yoga therapy since 2001 and am the director and lead teacher of the highly successful C-IAYT Accredited Functional Synergy Yoga Therapy Program.
You can count on my expertise and experience. In addition to my IAYT program, I have appeared as a guest expert at Trent University, on Global TV, CTV, and in the Globe and Mail, Thrive Online, Chatelaine, Bride Magazine, Parenting, and Yoga Journal.
As a young student of yoga, I began to combine the ancient practices of yoga with my BSc. Kinesiology at a Vancouver pain clinic. When I continued to encounter individuals, including yoga instructors, who accepted that their pain was “normal”, I began to explore how yoga was being taught and practiced. By designing therapy programs that utilized sound anatomical principles of kinesiology with the time-honoured practices of gentle yoga, I have enabled people to find pain relief, feel good, and rediscover vitality in their lives
What Teacher Trainees Are Saying:
"Susi is an exceptional coach. If you want to work with one of the best, if you want to work with someone who really wants you to succeed, if you want to work with someone who truly walks the walk and talks the talk, work with Susi. She really knows what she is doing".
- Loreen
meet RUTH ANN PENNY, Your Instructor
I’ve been an educator for over 40 years. I have taught, coached, consulted and advised people of all ages; nationally and internationally, of both genders, privately and in classroom and corporate settings.
Early in my career I became very interested in how adults learn. What motivates a mature, experienced person to take on new and often challenging learning tasks? What obstacles prevent learning in older people? What does an adult bring into the learning environment that a youth cannot? Those questions led me to a master’s degree in Adult Education with a focus on the leaders and elders in our midst.
When I became a yogi almost 25 years ago, as an active, ambitious person in my mid-forties, I had a “coming home” feeling. Over time I began to see that my body, with its own unique history, would dictate the kind of yoga practice I cultivated.
As I have aged I have confronted the reality that there is no yoga practice that suits every body; no perfect pose to be achieved. There is no guru who knows what you know about yourself. As one of my exemplary teachers, Bernie Clark, says all the time: your body, your yoga.
As an educator I am absolutely convinced that we construct our own learning based on our own experience and environment. We learn from the inside out; we seek, take in what we need, adapt, hopefully grow, and leave the rest.
Recently, in learning more about somatics and in working with committed and knowledgeable explorers like Susi, I have come to understand that inefficient movement habits, muscle tension, postural imbalances and lack of connection to our breath are energetically draining. I want to work in that space and create possibility.
What Clients Are Saying:
"Ruth Ann Penny is a superb teacher of yoga. She knows her subject thoroughly, and as my private tutor of the practice she has been attentive to my particular needs with her always clear and calm instruction."
- Allen, private student, age 83
[Online training]
YOGA THERAPY AND THE OLDER ADULT
The Older Adult Program: $350
Six (6) Live Group Calls via Zoom
Sample Sequences
Worksheets
All fees are in Canadian Dollars
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER YOGA FOR SENIORS PROGRAMS?
In two ways:
1. The Yoga Therapy for Older Adults program actually delves into the movement manifestations of the conditions, rather than the conditions themselves. Many programs educate extensively about conditions, contraindications and cautions (ie don't do this and avoid that), and proportionally less time looking at what physical problems you would see and what particular movement patterns you would teach in response.
2. The Yoga Therapy for Older Adults program also focuses on teaching. Many programs model very effective inquiry/exploratory teaching but few actually teach how to do it. We will teach you about reprogramming movement patterns and other elements that move your students toward self knoweldge and sustainable movement practices.
iS THIS PROGRAM IAYT ACCREDITED? CAN I GET CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS?
The Yoga Therapy for Older Adults is in the process of being approved for continuing education credits with IAYT.
CAN I GET YOGA ALLIANCE CEU's FOR THIS PROGRAM
Many years ago, Susi made a very conscious choice to not be affiliated with Yoga Alliance. With that said, her trainees have applied for credit for continuing education and have received hours with YA.
Copyright - Functional Synergy Inc.